RunnPrologue
by RudolphTheRedNosedPuffin
Summary: Young otter Ruun yearns for a life different from his owns, so he sets off to Redwall where he meets the daughter of Rakkety Tam and REdwall's youngest recorder, Rose. Meanwhile, Gorse, a young badgermaid is held captive in the Slaver Sutran's hold...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **_**Spearlady Gorse, a prominent character in my story, is from a different timeline than my other characters. She has been mentioned many times throughout the series, but she has never been an actual character. Other characters that are not as big in this story are from different stories, too. Also, I have noticed that all events in every story have never gone to the east. Salamandastron is in the West, the Northern Mountains in the North, and multiple islands in the Southern Seas, but nothing to the East. So, my story will take place mostly in the East.**_

**Disclaimer: **_**I, of course, do not own the Redwall series or characters, though the only reason why is because Brian Jacques got the books finished before me ;-).**_

**Runn**

_Prologue_

A storm thundered nearby, disrupting the warm spring night. Sutran Fang lay in his tent, enjoying the sound of the roiling thunder and punishing rain. Suddenly, he rose and stalked out of his tent and stood before the elements. He closed his eyes and swayed back and forth slowly. Just as all the other times, the picture of a young badgermaid came upon him. He scowled and walked over to a large rowan tree, where that same badgermaid was tied. She was slumped forward as she tried to get shelter under the large tree. Sutran approached her, and she raised her head.

"Well, have we had enough yet, slave?" he asked.

The badgermaid kept silent, only staring a stare full of hatred. Sutran laughed quietly. "Still have nothing to say, slave? You certainly caught me by surprise back there. But did you really think you could best me, Sutran Fang, Warlord of the East and conqueror of all? And, of course, your new owner? Did you really think you could win, slave?"

A growl ripped from the badgermaid's lips. "You are not my owner, scum. You are not worthy even to lick the dirt from my father's footpaws. The only way you slew him was by cheating. When you could not best him, you called upon your army! You are not worthy to wipe the slime from under him!" she yelled.

Sutran smiled. This is what he had been waiting for. "Insolence to your owner is not rewarded, slave. No food for three days. Tomorrow you will begin your new life. You shall be my personal slave, doing whatever pops into my mind at the moment. And if you do not do it quickly enough, well, you know what will happen…" He chuckled quietly, fingering a long, thin rod tied around his waist. "_Then_ we shall see you will be licking the dirt from who's footpaws, slave!" He laughed again and walked back towards his tent, feeling the glare of the badgermaid on his back.


	2. Runn Ch 1

Runn

Chapter One

Holt Patray

It was a warm spring day. A light breeze drifted lazily along. A stream gurgled happily as it made its merry way. A middle aged otter walked along its banks. She was looking for Runn again. Why did he have to run off all the time? Holt Patray's lands were large, but they did not seem to satisfy her younger brother's hunger for adventure. One of these times he was going to get himself hurt or captured, especially if he kept coming out this far. The otter sighed to herself as she followed the pawtracks laid out in front of her. Such a careless otter! His trail was laid out for all to see. And he knew about the vermin bands that were roaming the area! She sighed again as she pictured her father berating Runn as, once again, he ran off all alone. "Why can't you listen, son? All the other otters your age are perfectly content with following directions! They don't feel the need to perfectly endanger themselves every chance they get! What would happen if one of those vermin gangs caught up with you, eh? You'd be done for, that's what! I want a son, not a dead carcass! Your mother and I have been worried sick! Are you happy now?" Those would be his exact words.

As the otter rounded a bend in the stream, she caught sight of her brother, sitting on a low-hanging willow branch, resting his footpaws in the stream. She called out to him. "Riverunn! Is that you?"

He looked up and, catching sight of his sister, swung down from the branch and padded over to her. "Of course it's me, who else would it be, Lily?" he asked.

Lily shoved him playfully. "Some other young otter who is in for a good yelling from their father because they wandered off from the Holt." She answered.

Runn sobered up instantly. "How mad is he?" he inquired."

"Mad enough to think about Aunt Truffie's proposal seriously." She said.

Runn gasped and stopped in his tracks. "What!?"

Lily kept walking. "I heard mom and dad talking it over. They think it would be better to be with more creatures your age. Mom suggested that you start schooling. Dad thought it was a good idea. He also knew that they needed help making that dibbun pool. I think that taking you to Redwall Abbey is a good idea, too. Mother Mellus will keep you out of trouble there, and I know you need to get away from dad."

"But leave Holt Patray? I grew up here!" insisted Runn.

Lily stopped to look at Runn. "You may have grown up here, but I know, and you know, that you do not belong here. Holt Patray is a peaceful tribe. You are destined for greater things than living out your seasons here, I know that. That's why we are going to send you to Redwall, so you can get a taste of what the outside world is like. If you do not like it there, you can come back to Holt Patray or continue on to Salamandastron. You are old enough to make your own choices, Runn. I chose to stay here, but I know you will choose differently." she said.

Runn stayed silent and brooded on what his sister had said. He loved Holt Patray, but lately it seemed that he didn't belong there. He knew his sister was right, that he should go on to other places, but he was scared. Lily had always been there for him, and leaving her behind was not what he wanted to td, but he couldn't force her to go with him. Besides, he was getting too old to let everyone else make his decisions for him. He _would_ go on to Redwall Abbey and see what it was like. Maybe he would enjoy it there, and become a brother. But deep down Runn knew that that would never happen. Redwall would just be a stop along the way.


	3. Runn Ch 2

Runn

Chapter 2

A Young Recorder

_Extract from the recordings of Rose, daughter of the famous warrior Rakkety Tam and the youngest recorder in Redwall history._

**Today we welcomed the new arrival of Riverunn, an otter from Holt Patray. He is a season older than me and seems to be a fun and adventurous fellow. His father, an otter from Holt Patray, sent us a letter with his son. It reads:**

_**Abbot Saxtus,**_

_**I am sorry to thrust my son upon you like this, but he is becoming too much of a problem here at the Holt. He enjoys sneaking off without telling to get some "time to himself", as he puts it. I sent him here to teach him discipline. Mother Mellus and you do not need to hesitate at giving punishment if he is troublesome there. Please put him in the Abbeyschool as quickly as possible. He is helpful and will aid you with the construction of the Dibbun Pond, and anything else you wish. He can also help with chores, meals, harvesting, et cetera. After a season or two, tell him he can either leave or stay, as it is his choice. I want him to be well prepared for the world ahead.**_

_**-Elmstream **_

**Well, from this letter you would expect Runn (as he wishes us to call him) to be a scoundrel! But Runn seems to be anything but that. Why, as soon as he had settled in, he started helping Mother Mellus bathe the Dibbuns! Not every creature would jump at the task. I do say he later regretted it though. Those little ones these days, especially Ringo and Barlett. They should have been named Trouble, the two of them!**

**Well, here I am, rambling on again, as usual. I wonder what time it is. Is that the supper bell? Oh my, I must be going! **

Rose put away her pen and ink and closed her book, wiping off her paws as she chatted away to herself. "Writing away the afternoon like that! Oh no, I promised to help Friar Butty, too. Oh dear, I hope they got along fine without me! Huh, I really have to get away from my recording duties for awhile, get some fresh air. Look at my new green habit, all covered in dust! I had better get to supper before that Greffer hare eats everything…" She walked off towards the main abbey building.

Runn had never seen so much food in all his life. There were pastries, salads, cheeses, trifles, flans and so many different drinks! He started with a celery and carrot flan with woodland salad and finished with plum pudding topped with meadowcream. He was just working his way through a large trifle when a pretty squirrelmaid sat down next to him. Swallowing the trifle, he asked, "Who are you?"

"I'm Rose. You're Runn, aren't you?"

"Yes. Do you eat like this every day?"

"Most every. When we have a feast, like we will at Nameday, then you'll see a real load of food."

"What's a Nameday?"

"It's when a new season comes. Abbot Saxtus will name it and we'll have a feast to celebrate the new season."

"You name every season?"

"Yes. This is the Spring of the Raspberry, for all the Raspberries we gathered."

"So when is the next Nameday?"

"Silly, it's at the beginning of summer, seven days hence!"

Runn blushed. "I forgot."

"That's okay. Are you going to eat the rest of that trifle?"


	4. Runn Ch 3

**Runn**

Chapter 3

Escape

Gorse looked at the sleeping form of Sutran, the one who she had come to hate so much. He was a large wildcat, totally white with strange dyed markings all over him. _Would the potion hold until she was far away from here?_ Too late to worry about that now. If he woke up, then she would be in major trouble. She had resisted the urge to poison his drink, but Farrel had said to only put him to sleep. Gorse had packed some food and a couple blankets into a small haversack. She crept to the back of the large tent and found that one of the poles had a spear tied to it, just like Farrel had promised. Silently, she untied the spear and put the rope into the sack. Gorse lifted up the edge of the tent flap and rolled out into the inky blackness and crawled towards the forest edge, where the thick vegetation would hide her. She was nearly to the first couple trees when she heard a shout behind her, coupled with pawsteps. A ferret came and pointed a rusty sword at her.

"Where are you going, slave?" he sneered.

Gorse feigned surprise. "Oh, didn't you know? Master Sutran wants me to go gather some herbs for his headache!"

The ferret lowered his sword slightly, but still kept the point trained on Gorse.

"How do I know that you're not lying, slave?" he asked.

Gorse shrugged. "You can go ask him, but he isn't in the best of moods, what with the headache and all." said Gorse.

The ferret still looked doubtful. Gorse could not delay any longer. Farrel would not wait for her long, and she had wasted enough time as it was. Without letting the ferret see, she drew the spear. The ferret looked closer at her, at the same time letting down his guard. "I could just go with you, just to make sure…"

He fell without a sound; Gorse's spear was stuck though him. She drew it out of the corpse and ran into the still, dark forest.

Panting for breath, Gorse finally reached the sycamore with three tops. "Farrel? Where are you?!" she called. No answer. She tried again. "Farrel? Come out this instant, or else I'll go back!"

She gave a start as the burly hedgehog dropped out of the tree, right behind her. "Oh no yew wouldn't missy. Yew've been wantin' to 'scape since yew met me!" ha said.

Gorse chuckled. "And I only met you five days ago! That seems like an awful short time to me!"

"Ah, but in five short days you can get a lot done. We just proved that, what with getting' yew outta that vermin trap. But the adventure doesn't stop here. We've got work to do!"

Gorse was mystified. "What kind of work, Farrel?"

Farrel smiled. "First, we've got to alert Pachu about Sutran. Pachu's the leader of a mole tribe, the Gakwayas. They live on the Eastern Plain. But before that, we've got to dwindle down Sutran's numbers."

Gorse frowned. "How are we going to do that? WE can't call an all-out war, they'd crush us!"

"An all-out war wasn't what I had in mind. What do you think of lightning attacks. We strike out, disappear, and repeat. Sutran is all about secrecy, so he thinks no one knows about him yet. We'll change his mind soon enough."

Gorse grasped the hedgehog's paws. "Show me where to start!"


End file.
